From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Containing Mr. Haldenby's report on experiments with Houdaille shock absorbers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 25\2\ Scan027 | |
| Date | 18th June 1914 | |
| Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/Mcr7/B18614. Re Houdaille Shock Absorbers. X.1152. Mr. Plumpton. 18.6.14. In reply to your memo, Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}/HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}27/M17614, we give below Mr. Haldenby's report. "The experiments are still in progress but I think we can say that we do not think it worth while fitting them. They add a lot of weight and do not improve the riding at ordinary low speeds up to about 20 miles per hour, in fact, I am of the opinion that they have a detrimental effect at these slow speeds, except on an exceedingly bad wavy road, such as one never comes across unless travelling in very out of the way places. They accentuate the shocks from potholes at low speeds. Their chief virtue is that they hold the car steady and stop bouncing when travelling at high speeds. Their chief use would be on a racing or high speed touring car and certainly not on a town car. (Sgd.) T.S.H." | ||